Barkhamsted hike will look back at town's history

Submitted photo. Photo of Squire's Tavern from around 1920 when the property was occupied by the Ullmann family, the last farming family to live there before it became part of People's Forest.

BARKHAMSTED >> The Historical Society is inviting hikers and history buffs to take a "Walk Through Time" in Peoples State Forest along East River Road this Saturday, June 15.

This will be the first time for this hike but Paul Hart, president of the Historical Society, said organizers hope to conduct one every year. The one mile circular hike will begin at 10 a.m. at the pavilion in Peoples Forest. Hart said people who want to park there should mention the walk to the parking attendant and they should be able to park for free.

The plan for this hike started years ago when Barkhamsted received a Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) grant, which was worth $150,000 in 2008, said Hart. The grant was extended and completed in December 2012. The town has used that grant for a variety of Historical Society projects, including, "a new heating system for the Tavern building, exterior paint for the Tavern and Center Schoolhouse, a lightning rod system for the Tavern, archival shelving, our brick walk and handicapped entrance, interpretive kiosk signs at the Tavern, a new cedar shingle roof at the Center Schoolhouse, UV protection on our windows to help preserve exhibits and artifacts displayed in the Tavern, electrical work including underground service (replacing overhead wires), exterior lighting for our small parking lot, improvements to the alarm system and gutters on the back of the Tavern building," Hart detailed in an email.

One project that didn't get off the ground was a self-guided trail through town that would connect the Peoples Forest recreation center, Squire's Tavern and the Peoples' Forest Nature Museum, better known as the Stone Museum. The trail would have had posts along it detailing the history of the area.

Advertisement

"People might visit one [site] but this trail would connect all three," said Hart.

Unfortunately, that plan did not come to fruition due to a change of priorities. The town decided to complete the barn attached to the Tavern instead, which used up the remaining funds.

While the self-guided trail didn't get completed, the history hike was born out of that original plan.

"We thought why don't we do a hike?" Hart explained. "We would combine the hike with a talk about what you would see at different points in time."

Hart said some of the historical points covered will be the history of Squire's Tavern, the Stone Museum, the former mill on the Farmington River and the process of making charcoal.

"We will talk about what the area would have looked like in different periods of time," said Hart. "What it might have looked like when Native Americans lived there. We will be going back to when the glacier was here, when there was one mile of ice."

The walk will have specific stops where Hart will talk about different themes. If he didn't do any talking, the hike would take about 20 minutes. Hart is expecting the hike to take about an hour and a half.

"I love this stuff. I don't know if anyone else does," said Hart.

Since this is the first year, the walk may be a little, "rough around the edges," said Hart, "but you have to start somewhere."

The hike will go over some uneven terrain so Hart suggested people dress appropriately and wear sunscreen. Hikers will have the opportunity to quickly stop inside the Stone Museum during the walk.